“I genuinely thought it was ok to bet on golf,” said DP World Tour player Marco Penge. But he had realized that was not the case by the time he made the statement. Back in 2022, he was playing in the HotelPlanner Tour. That’s when Penge had placed a few bets, averaging $24 on the winners of the majors and the Ryder Cup. But he only faced punishment for his actions after he joined the DP World Tour.

The Englishman confirmed, “Back in April 2024, the Tour was informed by a betting agency that I had placed some bets on golf from 2022.” However, the Tour board didn’t take any action immediately. They conducted a thorough investigation before releasing a statement confirming that Marco Penge had indeed been suspended. “The disciplinary panel ruled that Penge’s breaches merited a three-month suspension with one month suspended for a period of 12 months pending further breaches of the program,” the release noted.

The initial statement suggested that the 27-year-old might face an extended suspension of 12 months. However, Penge gave the disciplinary panel a complete insight into everything that occurred in 2022. On that accord, they released another statement saying, “The disciplinary panel found that Penge’s immediate admission of breach and cooperation throughout the investigation warranted mitigation reflected in the eventual sanction imposed. The suspension took effect on December 13, 2024, and Penge can return to DP World Tour participation from February 13, 2025, onwards. He was also fined £2,000.” So began his long journey.

He didn’t play any professional tournaments from mid-December last year to midway through February in 2025. However, Penge returned to action a few days after his suspension ended on February 13. He played in the 2025 Kenya Open to finish T20. He followed that up with a solo third in the Investec South African Open Championship and a win in the Hainan Classic in April.

The break may have helped him catch a break and practice for his return. But it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Penge family.

Marco Penge had every reason to stay at home more often

While rising through the rankings, Marco Penge had a lot going on in his personal life in 2024 as well. Back in June 2024, Sophie Penge, Marco’s wife, revealed that the couple had their son, Enzo. The English golfer had been on the Tour nearly every week since then. After he received the initial one-month suspension, Penge was finally able to spend time with his family. Blessing in disguise!

From November 2024 to February 13, 2025, his Instagram posts slowed down. However, he was featured more often on Sophie’s Instagram. The couple, along with their son, Enzo, traveled together as their followers saw the infant grow up. While Marco Penge may not have known the rule book back in 2022, he might have felt grateful that he only got suspended for the breach after his son was born.